Reunion Kitchen + Drink — Restaurant in Anaheim

Remember the days when you'd just end up at a restaurant randomly, or because a friend recommended it to you? But these days it's very much all about getting caught up in reviews, IG posts, etc.

Was running through several options for dinner (on Yelp) on a Friday night & I'm happy to say a pretty good way to start the weekend off in the OC area is dinner at Reunion.

Menu has lots of very good sounding options but decided to go with the these 2 entrees: Slow Braised Short Ribs & Oven Roasted Prime Rib (medium well).

Might be an odd statement & it's not because the short rib was bad by any means, but the veggies in this entree were my favorite part. It was roasted zucchini (or squash) & was cooked & flavored very much to my liking. Cooked enough to get that great roasted flavor & natural sweetness but still had a good bite. Lightly seasoned but not bland. Mashed potatoes were alright, nothing so noteworthy about them. I do feel like the crispy fried onions were a little stale & lacking in crisp. I'm a horseradish fan who likes that good heat & the horseradish cream could have been stronger in that element. The short rib was decent, it was tender enough that you could easily shred it down with your fork, but I have had more tender short ribs. It's not seasoned aggressively, I think as a way to let the actual meat flavor shine, but for me it's just a little bland on it's own. The demi glace adds in the extra salty, savory flavor that the meat & potatoes really needs.

Oven Roasted Prime Rib (medium well) was actually a much more generous portion than I thought it would be. Nice to see that since it's usually higher prices with smaller portions I've been experiencing. The grilled asparagus were perfectly cooked & just as the short ribs entree, the veggie component really stood out. The cheddar jalapeno scalloped potatoes is basically layered (like lasagna) scalloped potatoes with 2 jalapenos on top. I thought the jalapeno was going to actually be incorporated with the cheese & throughout the potatoes. The potatoes are cooked well, for such a thick stack but since no there's so much potatoes it really needed more jalapeno & cheese flavor. I like how the prime rib was mainly actual meat (not fat) & they got the temp right. It's very subtlely seasoned & I feel could use somewhat more aggressive seasoning & a crust since it's such a thick cut of red meat. Wasn't as tender as I've had at say Lawry's, but not terrible either.

I had a reservation for 7:15 on a Friday night & I'm glad I did because the place was very busy with lots of people waiting to get a table. It's a moderately sized restaurant, with a welcoming decor, darker lighting & good sized booths which I like. The bar is a good size & had a look which makes you want a drink.

Service at the hostess was attentive & friendly. My server was also very friendly which just made the dinner even more enjoyable.

Parking is very easy since the restaurant is located in a plaza with a large lot for many businesses, such as LA Fitness.

Even though I've had better versions of both the entrees I've had, I still enjoyed them enough. That along with several other items on the menu that sound very good & the great service will for sure draw me back here when I'm...

Did brunch here with my fiancee and my uncle and his wife, our first time visiting and I'd definitely come back.

I'll start with the positives--everyone raved about their food. I had the fried chicken, which was very good. My fiancee had a burger which she enjoyed as well. My uncle had the patty melt and wouldn't shut up about how good it was, and his wife had the oven-roasted turkey supper and said it was excellent.

I docked them a full star, in two half-star chunks, and here's why. Firstly, service. While our waiter was attentive and friendly, I had an issue with the man who sat us at our table. I specifically stated when I checked in for my reservation that we needed a table with chairs, not a booth, because my uncle has a severe back injury that makes booth seating very painful and uncomfortable. The man looked me in the eye as I told him all this, said "OK," and then walked us straight to a booth ... WTF? After my uncle made a sarcastic remark about the seating issue the man then stated "If it's like a big deal or whatever I can see what I can do." Not a great reply. Granted, I screwed up in the first place by not noting the special request on the reservation when I made it, and that's 100% on me because I forgot. But the response at the restaurant was pretty flippant and we didn't appreciate it. The other half-star I'm docking is for the bar prices, which are absurdly high. My fiancee ordered the sparkling ruby rose, which is $12.95, and it's literally three sips and you're done. I had a bloody Mary, which if memory serves me right cost $14.95, which again is entirely too high. The bloody Mary was good, don't get me wrong there, but to me the drink prices are way too high.

Overall a good, but not great, experience, though I do intend to come back again and try some other food that...

I went here with skepticism because of all of the good reviews (sorry, that's just how I am) and I will say I was not disappointed! This place lives up to the hype. The food is varied and delicious. Truly something for everyone. The drinks were amazing. Lots of specialty cocktails and a great wine list to choose from as well. The ambiance at night is dark with a familial gathering-type vibe and artwork to match on the walls.

We went on a Friday night and the place was vibrating with weekend energy. We started out the night with a few Tequila Mockingbirds, which are silver tequila-based drinks, mixed with agave nectar, mint, watermelon, blueberry, and a hint of lime. This drink made my mouth extremely happy. The watermelon taste was subtle, yet not overpowered by the drink's citrus elements. We decided to only have appetizers, so we shared the Parmesan Bruschetta. This is not your grandma's bruschetta! Where one would normally expect to see small crisp rounds of bread, Reunion's version is bruschetta on steroids. A flavorful mix of diced tomatoes, garlic, basil, and onion sits atop a large piece of baguette-type bread that's able to support the weight of the bruschetta while still remaining firm and crisp. Drizzled in balsamic, this dish packs a full punch of flavor.

Reunion great place to have dinner, meet up with friends before you go out for the night, or just hang out at the bar and...